Like Father,Like Son
by PeetaxKatnissx13RW
Summary: A series of one-shots focusing on Peeta's relationship with his son,Orion.the title,POV and summary always at the top before each individual story. Rated T,because who knows what can happen in The Hunger Games.
1. Well,Theres This Girl

_**Well,There's This Girl...**_

It's getting late,but Peeta Mellark and his 7 year old son,Orion,are still hard at work at the family bakery. Peeta asks about how school is going,but Orion tells him a little something different,and Peeta winds up telling a story.

**Rated: **

**Peeta's POV**

I glance up at the clock briefly and notice it's going on 6:30. Adara and Katniss are probably just getting home from making rounds around the district,trading some of whatever they managed hunting today. I glance over at Orion,who's still kneading intently at the mound of dough in front of him.

"You know what? I think that's done,there." I tell him,letting my fist fall into the center of it. Orion nods,turning around to get the pans off the other counter. HI put the filled pans in the oven and turn the oven timer on for 20 minutes,figuring that should be plenty of time. I grab an old rag off the counter and wipe it over my brow,then attempt to do the same with Orion.

"Dad..." he grumbles,snatching the rag from my hand,running it quickly under his shaggy blonde hair. "I can do it myself."

I put my hands up in surrender.. "Sorry,buddy." I say,backing toward the counter,until my lower back hits hard against the counter top. "Ow..." I mumble under my breath,rubbing my hand over the sore spot. Orion laughs and jumps up onto the counter,danging the rag between his legs. I get up next to him,the counter being just big enough for me to lean back on my forearms.

"So,uh...whats going on with school?" I ask,staring intently at the oven.

"Ah,pretty good." He replies and turns to me. "Hey,dad? Do you think...can you give me some advise?" He asks,stumbling over his words,sounding unsure about what he's asking. We don't exactly get a whole lot of alone time,and honestly,his question makes me a little nervous too. He usually never asks for help,and when he does,he tends to go to Katniss. Or Haymitch.

"Well,there's this girl...you see? And I...uh..." He trails off.

"That you like?" I ask.

"Yeah. Exactly." He nods and bites his lip. Just like his mother.

"What about her?"

"Just...forget it." He says,suddenly. "It's kind of embarrassing." He goes back to staring at the oven. I sit up and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Orion. Son,you know you can talk to me about anything." I say,gently.

"No,it's ok. Really. I'll ask Grandpa Haymitch." He says,shrugging my hand off his shoulder.

"I bet I can give you better advise than Haymitch." I laugh. Orion just rolls his eyes. He reminds me so much of Katniss.

"His advise was good enough to keep you and mom alive." He says matter-of-factly,looking my in the eye with that cute little smile of his.

I sigh and shake my head. "You're afraid to talk to her. Aren't you?" Orion immediately blushes and becomes intent on the floor tiles. "Did I ever tell you about when I first fell in love with your mother?" I ask,wrapping my arm around his shoulder. I looked up and knit his eyebrows together. "No...I don't think so." He replied simply.

"Well,we were 5 years old.. First day of school. My brothers ditched my dad and I out front to go see their friends. So we just stood there,and after a little while,your Grandma walked over holding you mother's hand with one hand,and holding Prim,who was still just a baby,in her other arm. Believe it or not..." I stopped and laughed softly. "Believe it or not,I remember exactly what your mom was wearing." Orion giggled. "Really?" He asked. "Yep. Little red dress,with her hair tied back in 2 braids. She just caught my eye,you know,I thought she was pretty." Orion nodded,urging me to continue.

"Well,my dad must have noticed who I was looking at and bent down next to me and pointed in her direction. He looked at me and said 'You see that girl? I used to know her mother,when we were kids. But she ran off with a coal miner.' Since I was 5,and my dad was still the greatest man in the world in my eyes..." I stopped and eyed Orion for a second. 'You're still cool,dad." He laughed. "Keep going,come on!" "Alright. Anyway,he told me that you mother's dad could sing and all the birds outside would stop and listen,and the mockingjays would always repeat him."

As if on cue,a mockingjay outside whistled a simple 4-note melody. One that we both knew all too well. Orion smiled at the bird through the open window and whistled it back. He knew that it meant that everything was ok. He knew it well from being out in the woods with Katniss,who would stop occasionally and whistle it. The birds in District 12 hear it so often,that they sometimes sing it back at random. It's always comforting.

"Well,at the assembly,they asked if anyone knew the Valley Song. You mom raised her hand and she stood on a stool and sang it. All the birds went silent. That's when I knew I was in love." I stopped and stared at the floor tiles. Orion inched his way over and put his arm around me. "Well,did you talk to her?" He asked.

"No,it actually took 11 years for me to talk to her." He turned to face me,shocked.

"11 _years_? Why didn't you talk to her sooner?" He asked,sounding and looking so innocent.

"Same problem you're having. Too nervous. When we were in school,she really kept to herself. Still don't like people all that much,but then,she only really paid any mind to Gale and Madge. She only really acknowledged me after-"

"You gave her that bread right? That you burned?" He int interrupted,remembering the story.

"Exactly. But after that,it was only after she volunteered for Prim and I got reaped that we talked. If it Prim and I had never gotten reaped..." I trailed off and looked at the oven again.

"You never would have talked to her,and you never would have gotten married...and me and 'Dara wouldn't be here." he whispered,nervously.

"Exactly. In fact,the Hunger Games might still be going on." There was silence when I finished my sentence. Orion seemed to be considering this new information.

"So...something _bad_ that happened...made a lot of good things happen?" He finally asked,unsure of his conclusion.

"A lot of good things,yes. But a lot of bad things too. A lot of people died,a lot of people that your mother and I really love."

"Like Prim and Finnick?" He asked,thinking to he and his sister's middle names.

"Like Prim and Finnick." I confirmed.

"So...you're saying I should wait until something bad happens to talk to her?" Orion looked at me,slightly confused because of how deep into the story I had gotten. I couldn't help but laugh. He could act so mature sometimes,but when you get down to it,Orion was still only 7,still innocent and naive.

"No. You should try and talk to her. My point was,to tell you that I felt the same way."

"11 years..." He mumbled,still unable to believe how long it took for me to talk to Katniss. "And how do I go about talking to her?"

"Just be yourself. You're smart,and you luckily inherited my people skills and my charm,because according to Haymitch,your mom has about as much as a dead slug." I laughed lightly,recalling our interview strategies. Orion knit his eyebrows together. "Well that's not very nice of him!" He protested.

"You're right. One of the many times I've wanted to punch him over the years. But,he was still drinking a lot,back then." I pointed out.

"Well,that's no excuse. You should have hit him." He nodded,agreeing with himself as he often does.

Before I could tell him that you shouldn't hit,the oven timer went off. I jumped off the counter and took out the 2 loves of bread. I set them aside to cool,while I picked Orion off the counter so we could start cleaning up to go home. Once the bakery was spotless and the loves were cool,I wrapped both up and handed one to Orion to carry home. As we walked back toward the old Victor's Village,and Haymitch's house to drop off his loaf,Orion asked me another question.

"Dad,since you didn't hit Haymitch for calling mom a dead slug,can I?"

I laughed. "Ok,this _one _time." I said as we climbed the stairs and I knocked on the door.

Haymitch came to the door,and I handed him the bread I had cradled in my arm. Orion punched him lightly in the stomach. It didn't seem to really bother Haymitch,but he played along and acted like it hurt.

"What was that for?" He said,laughing.

"For calling my mom a dead slug!"

_**A/N: **Wow,this is long! I never imagined this to go so far. But cute,right? Remember,this is a series of one-shots,so the next chapter is going to be about something else. Whatever I feel like writing about Peeta and Orion. Hope you liked it,and please review! _

_xx ~Abby_


	2. The Terrible Twos

_**The Terrible Twos**_

Orion has officially hit the terrible 2's! Gale's in town,so Katniss is spending the day hunting with him in the woods;and 6 year old Adara is at school. Leaving Peeta at home with his son...with only Haymitch for help.

**Alternating Peeta and Haymitch's POV**

_*A/N: I always thought that Haymitch sobered up after Katniss and Peeta's kids were born. So Haymitch isn't a drunk at all here,but his personality hasn't changed a bit!_

_**Peeta**_

I was just finishing with the dishes from breakfast when there's a loud crash from the living room. Luckily the living room is within view of the kitchen,so I immediately turn around to check on my 2 year old son. But Orion is nowhere to be seen.

"Orion?" I call,with no response. "Orion Finnick Mellark,answer me!" Still nothing. Knowing my son,whatever fell was no accident. He'd been breaking things for weeks now. At home,at the bakery,at Haymitch's house,anywhere we take him,something gets broken. And half the time,Katniss and I wind up paying for it. I curse under my breath and head for the living room.

Sure enough,there was Orion. His gray eyes glaring at me defiantly,with that impish grin he's acquired recently,on his face . The things he broke kept getting bigger and bigger,and this time it was the glass from the center of the coffee table. I said nothing,but picked him up and started up to his room. When it registered where I was taking him,he bit down on my shoulder. Hard. Ignoring the lingering pain in my shoulder,I put Orion down on the kitchen counter. He crossed his arms and went back to glaring and smiling,pleased his plan to evade confinement in his room had worked.

"Orion Finnick. We do not bite in this house." I said,looking him sternly in the eye. His eyes narrowed and quickly retaliated.

"You bite Mommy." He said matter-of-factly.

How was I supposed to respond to that? But more importantly,how did he know that? Katniss and I _always_ double check that the door is locked. But there was no way I was going there with a 2 year old. So,there was no other choice.

"No,I don't." I lied. "Now,I want you to tell me why you broke that. You don't want Buttercup to get hurt,do you?"

Orion loves that old cat. How that ancient cat has survived all these years,it defies logic. But that's beside the point.

"Didn't break it." He hissed,and tried to jump down off the counter. I moved closer and put my hands on either side of him. He wasn't going anywhere.

"Then who did?"

"Buttercup." He tired pushing me back to wiggle out.

"Nope. Buttercup isn't heavy enough. Besides,Buttercup would have gotten glass in his paws,started bleeding,and made some kind of noise. You on the other hand..." I reached down and pulled his feet up,both sneakers still on. "Are heavy enough,and glass can't get in your shoes."

"Let me down." He growled.

"Don't you talk to me like that." This child was getting on my last nerve,and the last thing I needed was a tracker jacker relapse. He knew how it works. You admit you did it,you apologize,then you go to time-out for a couple minutes and it's over.

"Let me down now!" He yelled,bringing his face only inches from mine. I told him no and he and I argued back and fourth like that a few more times. After about the 8th time,he kicked me right where you do not want to be kicked. He sat back down,deciding the counter was alright,while I tried to get over the pain radiating from my crotch.

Without any warning,the door opened. My mind jumped to Katniss. That's who I was desperately hoping for,anyway. But it was still way too early for her to be back. Couldn't be anyone but Haymitch.

"Peeta?" Haymitch called from the door. I didn't dare say anything back,but Orion didn't have any problem answering. Then again,he hadn't just gotten racked.

_**Haymitch**_

"Orion? Where's your dad?" I called,closing the door behind me.

"In the kitchen!" Orion yelled back.

When I walked in the room,they were both there. Orion on the counter,glaring at Peeta,who was doubled over maybe 2 feet away.

"What happened here." I asked,going to Peeta first,helping him stand upright.

"I kicked Daddy." Orion said,seeming rather happy about it. Smiling at me before going back to glaring at Peeta.

"And why did you do that?"

"He wouldn't let me down." He said matter-of-factly,but without taking his eyes off Peeta.

"I put him up there because he broke the glass from the table out there." Peeta muttered,pointing to the living room. "I _was_ taking him up to his room,but he bit me. I had to tell him we don't do that." Peeta continued,directing the last sentence at his son. I nodded,and took one of the kid's ice packs out of the freezer and tossed it to Peeta.

"Peeta,you go ahead and clean up the broken glass. I think I know how to handle Orion here."

Peeta looked at me about to protest,but quickly rethought and left the room.

"Alright,kid. Just you and me. What is up with you these days?"

"Nothing wrong." Orion mumbled.

"Then why do you keep breaking things left and right? It's not funny."

"Yes it is!" Orion yelled. "Mommy and Daddy get mad!"

"Alright then." I said,picking him up and taking him up to his room. Closing the door behind me. I looked around for a few minutes,trying to find something easy to fix.

"Hey,Orion?" I asked,finally spotting a toy car that fell apart every so often sitting on his dresser.

"Yeah?" He asked,turning to face me. I hit the car with my elbow and it crashed to the floor,knocking both doors and the hood off.

"Hey!" Orion screeched, running over to pick up the pieces. "What was that for!"

"Not so much fun when it's your things getting broken,is it?" I asked,finding it hard to keep a straight face.

"Daddy!" He yelled,glaring up at me. I heard footsteps on the staircase. Orion ran to the door and opened it just as Peeta got there.

"Daddy,Grandpa Haymitch broke my car." Orion turned around and glared at me. "On purpose!"

Peeta glanced up at me,and seemed to understand what I was getting at. He knelt down in front of Orion and took the pieces from his hands and looked up at me.

"Haymitch..?" Peeta asked accusingly. I shrugged.

"It wasn't me!" I said. Orion turned around,stunned.

"Yes you did!" Orion yelled,gripping Peeta' wrist.

"Well,if Haymitch didn't break it,who did?" Peeta looked back to me,smirking. Just then,Buttercup walked out of the closet.

"Buttercup did."

"No he didn't!" Orion picked up the cat and hugged him. Poor cat's eyes were halfway out of it's head. Peeta freed Buttercup-who hissed at Orion before leaving the room. "Buttercup doesn't break stuff."

"Then who broke the glass from the table? You said Buttercup broke it." Peeta asked,standing up and putting the car back on the dresser.

"'Dats different." Orion said,climbing on his bed. "Buttercup doesn't break _my_ stuff. He breaks everything else."

Peeta looked at me and rolled his eyes,both of us trying not to laugh.

_**Peeta**_

"Buddy,look. Buttercup's a really old cat. All he really does anymore is sleep and eat," I got down next to Orion's bed.

"Busted?" Orion asked nervously.

"Afraid so. You know the rules,I'll be back to get you in a few minutes." I said,kissing his forehead quickly before leaving the room with Haymitch and the toy car.

Since going back downstairs seemed pointless,I took Haymitch into Katniss and I's bedroom.

"I have to admit,that was genius." I said,rummaging through the closet for a screwdriver.

"I try,kid. I certainly try." Haymitch mumbled,trying to fit the pieces of Orion's car together. "I'm just relieved you got the hint!"

"Haymitch,I've know you for how long now? 10 years? I'm pretty sure I have you figured out." I tossed him the screwdriver and leaned against the wall.

"Trust me,you don't," The last piece clicked into place and Haymitch handed me the toy. "Now lets go get the kid of yours."

_**A/N: **I know the ending leaves a lot to be desired,but I fumbled with it for a while and this didn't need to get any longer! Hope you guys liked it anyway! Oh,and don't mind the inaccuracies- the last time I was around 2 year old boys was when my cousins were 2,and that was 3 years ago. _


End file.
